BLUEBIRDS boss Dave Jones had nothing but admiration for his players after they earned a point at Carrow Road, writes Steve Tucker.

It might have been more for Cardiff, but, after Jon Parkin put his new side ahead in the 19th minute, the Canaries grabbed an equaliser through defender Russell Martin.

It meant Cardiff dropped to third in the table behind arch-rivals Swansea, but Jones was keen to defend his players against those who had criticised them over a recent poor run of form

“The frustration will last for about half a day because then they have to be ready to have a go again,” said Jones.

“We are supposed to have problems in the camp, unrest, but you would not get the performances we are getting if there was unrest in the camp. So I’ve got nothing but admiration for my players. Against Norwich, they put in a solid performance and were unlucky not to hang on to the extra two points when they had been working so hard.”

Jones was also full of praise for Parkin, who had overcome a knee injury to make his debut after arriving for £100,000 from Preston earlier this month.

It was a scorching drive from the player affectionately known as “The Beast” which had put the Bluebirds ahead.

“It wasn’t a bad way to start your career at a football club. I think the chairman is a very happy man having seen the price we paid for Jon,” said Jones.

“He had a knee injury and only trained with the players on Thursday so we just told him to go out there and play. I thought it was a superb debut from him. If you are a good player, you just adapt.”

And Jones admitted, despite the frustration at conceding a late equaliser, he was content with a point against a side just one place beneath them at the top end of the Championship.

The Cardiff boss added: “Would I have taken a point before the game? Of course I would have. Am I disappointed that we conceded? Yes, because of the time it was conceded.

“But it was probably a fair result at the end of the day and it is not a bad place to come and get a point when you consider the results Norwich have been getting.”